Jabba_the_gut

This build really is going slower than I hoped but I'm hoping to get some more done this weekend. I got the control plate back from plating this week and I'm really pleased how it looks on the body.

Very nice!

A few updates...

Got a quote for the chroming so control plate will be sent off this week. I've finished applying the lacquer by brush and am now in the process of sanding and polishing. Have to say so far, the finish is coming up really nicely.

I've also fitted a piezo bridge to my fretless bass and really pleased how it looks. I need to sort the wiring out and some sort of buffer circuit.

That's interesting. I have a few of elements to try on one of my builds; bog standard a
Artec element, flexible wire type and then a Shadow SH064. The Artec and the flexible elements were about £5 each, whereas the Shadow is around £65. Be interesting to see what the difference is!

[quote name='Grangur' timestamp='1459567420' post='3017741']
Hey Jabber, I'll try to remember to call a guy I know on Monday. He does plating of metals. I'll let you know what he would charge.
[/quote]

Thanks - much appreciated. I've found one firm that is much more reasonable but still about £20 per plate. That probably isn't unreasonable, I'm just trying to get it done really cheap!!

I'm liking that! Out of interest, how much did you hollow out? Did you cut pockets or one big space and brace the top?

[quote name='PaulGibsonBass' timestamp='1459356101' post='3015769'] The suspense is killing me! [/quote]

Not managed to get on with this as much as I wanted recently. But I have got a few things done. I'm currently lacquering one of the bodies by brushing rather than spraying. These needs a fair bit of paint it on, sand it off but I think it will give a nice finish.



I've finished both piezo bridges and have a couple of elements to try




The other body still needs sanding. I have put the veneer in the slots on the fretboard and I think it is looking quite nice.


One thing I haven't managed to do yet is find someone cheap to chrome the control plates - had a few quotes but I'm looking for something very cheap!!

This might be the link to it

http://basschat.co.uk/topic/240391-sold-firecreek-hollow-body-5-string-fretless-bass-sold/page__fromsearch__1

PM'd

Pics added. Cheers

An old but unused set of Trace Elliot acoustic bass strings .040 to .130 5 string set that I've had knocking around for years. The strings have been out the packet and the silk is a little fluffy in places. There are what looks like a few small corrosion spots on the bare part of the core where it goes round the tuner.

How does £10 posted sound?

I've got a Boss DR550 drum machine for sale if anyone is interested.

The good bits - it works!

The bad bits - the battery cover is held on with tape, some of the buttons need a good press to operate, general condition is pretty tatty, output is quite hissy in my opinion!!

It's a reasonable little unit and fairly useful to practice along with. Looking for £15. Here's a couple of pictures - as I said, pretty tatty!!

[quote name='Ghost_Bass' timestamp='1456251510' post='2987122']
As a coincidence yesterday i was looking at this: [url="http://noll-electronic.de/bass-electronics/mixpot/"]http://noll-electron...tronics/mixpot/[/url]

May do the trick.
[/quote]

I've looked and found a couple of things that may be of interest for this type of set-up. John East does a module that sounds like it would do the job 'MPM-01' but I've also found a website '[url="http://www.cafewalter.com/cafewalter/fetpre/index.htm"]Cafe Walter[/url]' that has a piezo circuit.

[quote name='scojack' timestamp='1456219214' post='2986641']
No it's fine Jabba thanks........ you've got more than enough to be getting on with .
I was thinking of a wee floating job to allow me a degree of intonation adjustment, there was a big difference on my last 5 string so i'd worry about settling on a fixed bridge.
Have you had any thoughts on the electrics...mixing the piezo/mags ?

Ian
[/quote]

No worries! But what you said about adjustment has got me thinking about another possibility. That's the trouble with this - too many ideas and not enough time!!

[quote name='Ghost_Bass' timestamp='1456251510' post='2987122']
As a coincidence yesterday i was looking at this: [url="http://noll-electronic.de/bass-electronics/mixpot/"]http://noll-electron...tronics/mixpot/[/url]

May do the trick.
[/quote]

Thanks for the link - looks quite interesting and very compact.

[quote name='scojack' timestamp='1455792489' post='2982424']
Do me a 5 string version Jab will ya ?!
[/quote]

I've got a 5 string acoustic bass and the saddle is the same length so shouldn't be too difficult to follow the dimensions. I might be able to look at this in a few weeks depending on how busy I am or diy my wife finds for me(!!) - will let you know. What shape are you thinking?

Hoorah! Finally did the binding and I'm happy with it!! Just hope I don't make any mistake whilst installing the dots/LEDs......





(The other fretboard in the picture is going to go on one of the 'recycled front door basses' I'm doing in another thread).

I made the second bridge with the idea of fitting this to the first bass I ever made which currently has a Schaller 2000 bridge on it. I reshaped the wooden bridge a little to match the body shape - I think this would look quite nice. No quite sure how to amend the electronics for this but that's for another time!!





Still got a little work to do on both piezo bridges but really pleased with how they turned out especially after the first attempt!! Ultimately it just came down to holding the work piece more securely and not trying to take too much off in one go.

[quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1455394932' post='2978836']
I think I had the same metal musicman type bridge that you have on my build... is it the one with the insets for the 2 side bolts?
If so it's not bad but the 3 screws you get with it are made of butter. Get different screws to install it! (I learned the hard way)
[/quote]

Yep, that's the one. Thanks for the advice - I'll make sure I use some decent screws!!

Had a second go at the bridge - much better results this time (i.e. it is still in one piece!!).

I used my router again for this but changed the way I clamped it and that has worked nicely. I've still got to do a bit more work on it but quite pleased do far. I'm actually thinking of making another bridge to put on a fretless bass (the first bass I ever made that gave me the bug for this building lark!!). I've got the start of the bridge using the second piece I prepared in case this went wrong.

Cheers for the comments and suggestions. I've made two more bridges that are ready to cut to shape - but this time I'll try it on some scraps first!! I have a 6mm diameter template cutter that I will try as it may be less aggressive, as suggested. I might also try with a normal cutter but use several passes to achieve the cut depth around the edge. I'll post the results oh here - good or bad!!

Was going quite nicely and I was starting to sort the outline.....



......but the router decided to bite and dismantle it for me. Oh well. Got another piece of wood so will try again.....



Bugger!!

Cheers for all the comments. I have to say, I'm really enjoying doing this build. I need a few more bits of wood yet but things are getting there!!

Tonight I started roughing out a piece of wood that I'm hoping to make a piezo loaded bridge from. I've made a template for the basic shape but have not done too much more than to have cut a nice slot. Will go back in the garage tomorrow and try to shape this.

....and fitted some new binding. Still not happy with it as there is a small glue line between the veneer layers that will annoy me!! So, off the binding has come again and the fret board cleaned up again. New bindings are trimmed and ready to have another go - hopefully more successful this time......

I've made a p-bass pickup template which has worked really well. So I've now routed the P and J pickups for this. Just the easy routing for the control cavity to to then a load of sanding for this body!!